Gita For Youth

Vedanta

oi-Staff

By Staff

Friday, July 17, 2009, 11:47

Someone once cynically remarked, "Youth is a time to err, old age a time to repent!" It need not be so really. However, with a lot of energy in them and with very fresh minds, young people have the most wonderful opportunity to learn about life and retaining all their innocence, with clean heads, hearts and hands, bring the greatest beauty to their lives. It is here that, unfortunately, most of the young people fail. They lack proper guidance and giving vent to their own hastily conceived ideas and surging emotions, they distort their own personalities and, getting old, are already caught up in many conflicts and confusions. Bad habits which got formed in younger days become hard to drop in older age. A faithful and loving study of Gita can go a long way in setting young people on the path to true inner freedom, bringing peace and joy to themselves and to the society around them.

'Lift yourself by yourself; your own mind is your best friend, your own mind is your worst enemy. A mind well trained to obey one's conscience is one's friend; a mind running wild and rushing toward pleasure pursuits is one's enemy' (VI-S.6). Work in this world, performing your duty, without personal likes and dislikes clouding your judgment; in this way, you will gain true peace within' (11.64). 'Remain the same in success and failure. Work on calmly' (11.38). In all such places Sri Krishna's advice is sure to be most valuable to the young in their crucial years of making their life.

Pujya Gurudev, Swami Chinmayanandaji. called the teachings of the Gita as the 'Art of Man making'. Allowing oneself to behave as per one's instincts or habitual urges, one becomes a beast indeed. But, when one thinks, determines what is right and does that, one verily becomes a man. Gita helps one to become wise. The 'animal' in one is transformed to 'man'; nay, 'man' is transformed to 'god' by the divine light of Gita.

Do not seek to be a man of wealth; seek to be a man of values', said Einstein, the great physicist. Right values are the true wealth of a man. Truthfulness, nonviolence, fearlessness, self-control.

Humility etc make for a life of peace and harmony. The opposite of these lead to conflict within oneself and disharmony around oneself too. The Gita lays great emphasis on living noble values in life. Gandhiji once said, 'there is enough for everyone's need, but never enough for everyone's greed!' When there is a fall in values, in spite of all the wealth and technological advancements, the society and even family units are in constant turmoil. Neither the poor nor the rich can be happy when, all around, there is fear and insecurity. Gita says, 'Be selfless, whoever lives selfishly, indulging his senses for his own pleasure and ignoring the needs of others, has wasted his life.' (111.16)

About the author

Swami Chidananda

Swami Chidananda has been a spiritual teacher, speaker, and writer for two decades. He is presently the Joint Secretary of Rajghat Education Centre, Varanasi, which is a chapter of Krishnamurti Foundation India (KFI). His deeper calling took him to the study of the Vedanta under the world-renowned teacher Swami Chinmayananda. He served the Chinmaya Mission for sixteen years. He now lives on the banks of Ganga in Varanasi, working for the cause of right education as well as rural service.